As You Take Your Final Breath Preview
by cloudscenexd
Summary: "I wish I could see you in your next life- but we both know the sad truth...be free. Once you go you'll finally be able to awaken in the-OUR world. I wish we had more time. I- i'll never be able to see you..." Life & Reality are melded together as fate sends a portion of the world's population into a rift in time- to another world. It is sad how fast life can be taken for granted.


**Hello. My name is Cloud. It is the only name I really know. At least- the name that was given to me. Formalities aside, I wrote this story because I am tired of going through life thinking of great ideas, and not sharing them with others. I want to give to the world, and get feedback. I have always wanted to read a realistic suspense, with horror, heart pounding romance, with true action and gut wrenching adventure- things that make my heart race and my mind wonder- "is this all real?" And this is what I have produced. It isn't great, and I don't really have many characters, but I hope that you like it.**

July 21, 2769-(Natalia's memories)

Groaning, I rose slowly, shaken from my short cat nap. My head was pounding slightly and my eyes were watering- and not just from my crying earlier. The gamemaster had us locked in and trapped- we couldn't get any real rest. Not with those creatures howling and growling outside the mounds of dirt, rock and muck we somehow managed to push up into a type of wall.

Looking out across the grassy field, I spotted many players equally raising spades, picking up dirt, and flinging it onto the every growing pile of small blocks, which small children took up to the top of the wall, and inside- to fortify and thicken our laughable fortress' defenses. The sky above was a swirling mess of gray clouds; it was obviously going to storm pretty badly soon.

"Hey kid, get your ass up and at it- the wall won't build itself!" One of the older adults noticed my blank, tired face, and barked at me. Like an automaton, I rose slowly, forcing myself to stand, and trying to keep my mind awake. Struggling a few steps, I felt vertigo take hold of me, and I expected the ground to catch me.

I snapped awake from my standing sleep as the same tall oaf yelled again, stomping over to me and sending spittle in my face. Looking away to escape the gross saliva being bulleted into my face and hair, I noticed a few people stopped in their tracks.

_Will nobody help me out? Well fack you than…_

"Do you _hear me_?!" The slap threw me off guard, and I staggered back a few small steps. I reached up and touched my cheek. Eyes growing wide, I launched myself at, what, a thirty-nine year old man? I quickly found myself in a questionable position on the floor with him on top of me. Growling, I cursed and struggled, spitting and hissing at him and the passing people who merely watched my trials and tribulations.

"Hey, sir, I don't really take kindly to you man handling that girl. I don't take kindly to it at all. We're all trapped in this thing. So," I caught a flash of silver at the corner of my eye, and I felt the pressure of a middle aged man leave my back. I pair of hands pulled me up and I stumbled as they let me go. Hitting the dirt hard, on my knees, I felt my eyes roll to the back of my head, and my body fall forward.

_I just want to sleep…_

A cold feeling came to my warm cheek, and my eyes drew open quickly. Shooting up and scotching back, I looked around wildly. Three figures were before me, and we appeared to be in the grassier end of the boxed dirt fort. The one poking me was lanky and tall; as he crouched down to poke me in the face, his slightly freckled face perked up in a grin. He had curled red hair, and silver iris', which pulsed with a vibrant blue hue as I stared into them.

"Earth to girl, are you alright?"

"O-Oh! Yes! I was just- tired…" I slumped forward quickly, overreacting my feelings just a bit. I actually felt much better. I must have passed out.

_Duh Natalia. Isn't _THAT _obvious enough?_

"Yea, we saw what happened… good thing we were hunting farther out than normal!" The same tall boy grinned, has other hand in the pocket of what looked to be a cloak- opened and unbutton, an embroiled sun cut in half. His black graphic tee shirt under neither and gray jeans made me think of him as rather dark…

_Quite opposite of the personality you are expressing…_

"Grey. Are we going to stand around forever? The guy here said we had to go." One other the silent two, the boy, spoke slowly, as if picking his words carefully. As I looked up at him, I saw him look away, and around, studying the surrounding area and paying no attention to me. His brown skin and dark hair suggested he was of African descent- American as well, no doubt. He was tall as well- lanky too, although because of the lack of a cloak, it was much more noticeable. His black hoodie had a large red fleur de Lis, as did much of his other clothing. He wore glasses, but they were much smaller than the boy named Grey.

"He can go cry in a corner for all I care. Hmhm, yup~! Heck, I'll even give him a _big squeeze_ and that'll make _everything better_… than sock him one." The only girl of the three was harder for me to study, as she trotted around the grassy plain like some sort of toddler hopped up on pixie sticks. Her voice was higher, which reminded me of some sort of anime character, and her pinkish hair flowed down the grass, just teasing the bladed green undergrowth.

"Hey, don't mind the. Monty's always like this and Cypher has always been hyper... I'm Grey, if you didn't catch that." He withdrew his hand from my face, thankfully, and I sighed heavily, a second after he did. I looked down at my lap, face growing flushed. But he didn't seem to notice, nor care for my embarrassment. "Apparently we have outlasted our stay here."

My neck tensed, and I looked around us. The few trees dotting the higher side of the plains were blocked as a crowd of people rushed up the hill with Hoes, Swords, and Axes used for, mainly, lumber. "Why the hell…"

"Damn it. Who do they think they are…?! Idiots, the lot of them - Monty, with me. Cypher, I want you to make sure the girl stays safe." Grey's tone of voice was almost terrifying , the happy, low and noisily voice growing cold and harsh. I watched the cloaked figure pull a large Halberd for a hanger off his back, and Monty held a Katana in his right hand, pointed towards the floor.

"Wait! You can't kill them!" I cried out. "They're still people! This isn't some _game_!" Pushing myself to my feet, I felt my legs give way, and the grass blanket my fall.

_Dammit!_

Forcing myself to my feet, I could feel his eyes on me as I struggled to keep my footing.

"…" He remained silent, hands gripping his Halberd tightly.

"Grey… they're not stopping." Monty was looking slightly, from the crowd to us.

"…" He looked hard into my eyes, and I blushed, but kept eye contact.

"… stop staring at me like that…" Murmuring, I doubted he heard me.

Nothing between us at that point really mattered, besides the fact that in a flash, he hooked his Halberd back onto his back, bounded up to me, and swung me onto his free shoulder, both hands hooked under my legs.

"Monty, Cypher - change of plans. Let's get the hell out of here."

I jerked back slightly as Grey took off in a run, and I didn't dare look back for fear that I would fall somehow.

The wind attacked my tumbling, silver hair, and I squinted back at the rushing air and subconsciously wrapped my arms around his neck, loosening my arms after thinking I might choke him. The ground was racing past us so fast- I doubted that we were traveling at a normal human speed. We were coming up on the wall much sooner than I had expected and I bit my lip.

_What are you doing, you nitwit! That's a wall!_

"Grey - the wall!" The cloudy skies above let loose their first drops of rain as I yelled out loud, burrowing my face in the neck of Grey's cloak.


End file.
